i88 5 .] 
India and Other Parts. 
65 
order to save labour the usual practice has been to steep the 
plants till the sap and vegetable juices are thoroughly de- 
composed, as the fibre can then in most instances be easily 
beaten or washed out ; but this method, though applicable 
to a certain extent in cold climates, where decomposition 
takes place slowly, is always found to be injurious to the 
fibre, and to be almost inapplicable in warm climates, where 
fermentation passes into putrefaction in a few days, and the 
decomposed fibre acquires acidulated and other properties, 
which not only deprives the fibres of their strength, but dis- 
colours them in such a manner as to render them unfit for 
manufacturing purposes. Most vegetable substances con- 
tain, besides the fibrous tissue, sap, cellular tissue, and a 
little colouring-matter. The sap consists of water, gum, 
fecula, and alkali, with sometimes tannin.” 
In the above explanation running water is not prescribed, 
which is necessary with high-priced fibres for cambrics, &c., 
in Europe, as well as in India. 
From the “ Cyclopaedia of India,” by Edward Balfour, I 
copied the following for those who have not read it : — 
“ The leaves, stalks, or barks of plants should he cut 
when in full vigour and of bright green colour, as when old 
or dry they yield coarse, stiff fibre, and no more plants 
should be cut than can be cleaned in two days, and the cut 
plants should not be left long exposed to the sun, as the sap 
dries up, and the process of cleansing them becomes more 
difficult. The sooner the sap, pulp, and impurities can be 
removed from the fibre the cleaner and stronger it will be. 
Beating, crushing, and scraping fibres improve their quality 
instead of injuring them, as was at one time supposed, pro- 
vided it be not cut across or rendered short. It a plant be 
well crushed or beaten soon after it is cut it may be immersed 
for a night. Each district in India has its own particular 
fibres, all largely utilised by the people ; thus it will be 
superfluous to detail them, but the beautiful fabric China 
grass cloth is made in Canton province, and the plant sup- 
posed to produce it is the Urtica nivea, and can be spun into 
thread for sewing purposes, and the cultivated variety has 
larger leaves than the wild plant, which grows plentifully on 
sloping banks, but is not prized by the natives, who say 
that its fibre is coarse and broken, and confined in its 
structure.” 
And Dr. Roxburgh describes it as the Urtica tenacissima, 
or China grass, and states that this nettle grows in all the 
moist countries, from Bengal, through Rungpore, Assam, 
and China, and adds ; — 
